Our House
by Herochick007
Summary: She agreed to fix up the falling apart old house. She had no idea what she was getting into. Rating for possible language.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. **

**This started as two prompts for Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum and will become a longer story.**

**Are you crazy enough to do it Challenge number 431 (season) Autumn**

**If you dare challenge. 431 Mold**

The house was falling apart when she arrived. There was mold growing on the walls, what was left of them anyway. Someone had blasted a large hole in the west wall, leaving the interior exposed to the elements and wildlife. She had known this was not going to be an easy task. The sun was starting to set, which made the October night cooler than it really needed to be, at least in her opinion.

"Why did I agree to this again?' she asked herself. The electricity no longer worked in the main room. Mice had most likely chewed through the wires. There was a small fireplace. After blasting away several decades of ash and decay, she lit a small fire. The flickering light revealed just how bad the house had become. She took a deep breath and pulled out her wand. She could do this the muggle way, but it would take longer and the less mold, dust, and Merlin only knows what else, she breathed in the better.

"Scorgify," she whispered watching as the dust and grime rinsed off the mantle, the floors, every other surface. The room still looked horrible, but at least now it was a little better. She could tackle the harder parts tomorrow. She had left the walls, not sure if water would damage them. The last thing she needed to finish tonight was the gaping hole in the west wall.

She studied it carefully. Most of the raw materials were gone so they would need replacing. She mentally added them to the growing list in her head.

"I'm an idiot for doing this," she muttered to herself wondering if it was too late to change her mind, let the whole thing fall to mold and rot. She knew she wouldn't do that. She was too stubborn to give up now. She managed to find some loose boards to make a temporary cover for the hole. It would work for now, at least keep any more creatures from getting in.

She walked to the front door opened it, noting the solid wood construction. It was newer than most the house and not yet in need of replacement. She pondered the strange notion someone else had been working on the house, but dismissed it before apparating away for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I do not own Harry Potter. **

**I know you all want to know who she is, but don't worry, all will be revealed. Feel free to guess!**

She apparated back the next morning, this time armed with a handful of muggle cleaning devices, a mop, a cleaning broom, some actual cleaners. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. The house had been abandoned for nearly five years. It was hers now. She's signed the paperwork last week. All that was left was to make it habitable again. In the light, she could see how beautiful the house had once been. Smiling she started getting to work.

First she lit another fire, she liked the way it crackled as she worked. She scrubbed the floors on her knees, her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She wasn't afraid of hard work and this, this was going to be amazing when he found out what she'd done.

"Just think," she said giving herself a tour of the upstairs. "One day, this could be our room, and that little room could become a nursery." The thought of little feet pittering across the wood floors made her work harder. She was thankful a lot of the work was just cosmetic, since she really didn't know how to build anything. She was better at potions and charms. She stopped when she realized it was noon.

"He's going see me like this and wonder what I've been doing," she muttered glancing down at her cleaning clothes. She had planned to bring a change with her, but had forgotten it. She magiced her clothes as clean as she could before leaving to meet him for lunch. She wanted to tell him about the house, but was planning to keep it a secret until it was done.

She darted out the front door, taking care to lock it before leaving. She was so concerned with being late she didn't notice the cat sitting outside next to the front porch. The cat watched her leave before slinking into the house through a basement window.

Once inside she turned back into Professor McGongall. The young woman hadn't even started to the basement yet, but Minerva had taken a look, mostly to make sure it was safe for anyone to enter. She'd taken care of a mouse problem, knowing the new owner would be able to do it herself, but wanting to help the young couple out. She had also replaced the front door because it was unsafe. It wasn't every day her former student bought an abandoned house and was determined to fix it themselves.

Minerva walked over to the windows, several of them were cracked, she waved her wand fixing them. She left the dirt and grime. She also left the one window so she could get in and out. Deciding she'd done enough for the day, she turned back into a cat and slipped out.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I still don't own anything**

She arrived later than she'd planned the next day. He'd cornered her and convinced her to play around of Quiddich with him and his friends. She wasn't very good, but it had been fun. She opened the front door of their new home. She had left her cleaning supplies behind and immediately started working again.

"We can always paint it later," she decided coloring the walls. She hovered the paint roller and a few brushes, so they worked while she continued scrubbing. She checked on the progress and smiled. The downstairs was clean, all that was left was fixing the wiring. She wanted to use muggle devices, even though the house was in a wizarding area. The fact there had been wiring before made her wonder slighlty about the previous inhabitants. She had bought the right gauge wire and some books about setting it up. Using her wand, she snaked the wires behind the walls, connecting where the outlets were to go.

"Let's see, either this will work, or I'll blow myself up. Either way, awesome," she muttered plugging a small electric kettle in to an outlet. She held her breath as the kettle's little light lit up. When things didn't explode she smiled. She'd gotten it right!

She decided to stop for lunch, a ham sandwich she'd brought, and some tea boiled on the kettle.

"Two more floors," she told herself debating to work on the basement or upstairs for the rest of the day. She really wanted to get the basement done and over with. Taking a deep breath she walked down the stairs, they seemed sturdy enough.

"Good, one less thing to worry about." A simple scorgify took all the dirt and grime from the windows and walls. She noted the one broken window and quickly fixed it. Since the basement was unfinished, the floor and walls were all stone. There was no carpeting or anything else.

"We can put the washer and dryer there," she decided. She'd already placed an order for some muggle devices. She was going to have to pick them up, since she didn't think the store would deliever to a house in the wizarding world. She continued working with the wiring, noting the fuse box. She opened it and found herself face to face with a nest of spiders.

"Ahhh!" She hated spiders, hated the way the walked on their extra legs and climbed walls. She didn't like anything that could climb walls. Banishing the spiders, she took a closer look at the fuse box. Since the electricy actually worked, she could replace the fuses later.

She emerged from the basement and looked out the windows. It was already dark outside. She sighed. Only one more floor she reminded herself. Then it would be the fun part, picking the furnature, showing him their new home. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

A**/N: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters.**

She sighed. She'd just gotten into a fight with a large box. Her arms were covered in scratched and their new refrigerator had small dent in the front. She wondered if he'd notice.

"Gives it character," she decided having finally managed to get all the appliances for the first floor set up. She'd also gotten the washer and dryer into the basement. It had been nearly a month since she'd found this fixer upper and thrown herself head first into it.

She ventured back upstairs, it was the only floor left, the one where they would be sleeping. She wondered what size bed he wanted, king, queen? She would wait on that one. She cleaned and cleaned, replaced a few windows. The room in the corner was perfect for an office. She found a large wooden desk.

"Home," she whispered. Taking it all in. The outside wasn't bad, a few hours cutting back the tree branches and mowing the lawn and it was nearly perfect. She knew it was time to show him. Time for him to see what his witch had been up to for so long.

"Where are we going, Lily? And why do I have to wear this stupid blindfold?" She laughed.

"You'll see, James. I promise, you'll love it!"

"Is it a new broom?"

"No."

"Am I close?"

"Nope, it's bigger." James shrugged as he allowed Lily to lead him. He trusted her and really hoped this wasn't some elaborate prank Sirius had set up.

"We're here," she announced. "You can take off the blindfold." James pulled the silk scarf from his eyes. Lily handed him back his glasses.

"It's a house, Lily."

"Yes it is, James. It's our house."

"Our house? We have a house!?" James blinked starting at the house.

"Yes, this what I've been working on." James smiled picking Lily up and twirling her in the air. He set her down and kissed her.

"And Sirius thought you...nevermind what Sirius thought. Why don't you give me the tour, Lily," James suggested. Lily smiled taking his hand and leading him inside.

The cat sat by the fence, it wasn't every day two of her Gryffindors moved into their first home. She really hoped Lily and James would invite her to their housewarming party. She couldn't wait to see how Lily had fixed up the rest of the house.


End file.
